


The Road Ahead

by bigred_ashlyn



Category: Andi Mack (TV)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-03
Updated: 2021-02-03
Packaged: 2021-03-14 07:42:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,607
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29167485
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bigred_ashlyn/pseuds/bigred_ashlyn
Summary: As another night passes of Marty and Buffy's ritual driving around town, the future draws nearer and Buffy feels the need to address the elephant in the car: the fact that Marty's leaving for college soon.
Relationships: Buffy Driscoll & Marty, Buffy Driscoll/Marty
Comments: 1
Kudos: 5





	The Road Ahead

There was always a text from Marty beforehand. 

Buffy heard the ding from her cell phone just as she finished her math homework, tucking her calculus textbook into its little alcove where it would stay until she had class on Wednesday. She scooted out her chair to roll to where her phone was plugged in and resting on her bed. 

_ Marty from the Party _ : done with homework yet?

She smiled at that, and unlocked the screen. She typed a  _ just finished actually. Perfect timing.  _

The three typing dots appeared. 

_ Marty from the Party _ : Maybe you’re just too fast. Understand everything?

Buffy shook her head.  _ I thought you enjoyed my company. You sound like you don’t feel like hanging out tonight.  _

_ Marty from the Party:  _ I do. Be there in five. 

They both knew it would take him longer than five minutes to drive to her house. Buffy left her chair to grab her shoes and jacket. She passed her mother, who’d been back from deployment for a few weeks, in the kitchen busy with emails on her tablet. 

“Marty?” 

“I have all my homework done. I have my homework done for classes I don’t even  _ have  _ tomorrow. My grades are high. My track times are high. My-”

Her mom cut her off. “Totally fine. Just be back before eleven. You know the drill.” 

Buffy let out a sigh. “Thank you, Mom.” 

“I knew he was a boyfriend. Have fun, Buffy.” 

In Buffy’s defense, her mom had made that comment before Buffy and Marty had even started dating. In their packing for the move-which was a short term one, really-her Mom had found a picture of Marty. Buffy didn’t even know why she still had it. Her and Marty weren’t exactly friends, or even  _ talking  _ at the time. But she hadn’t wanted to throw it away, which was what led her Mom to find it. 

She asked Buffy if he was a boyfriend. Buffy had the smart answer of “No, not really.” It was the truth, but also  _ not.  _

Buffy hadn’t felt comfortable dating, especially with all the pressure. The pressure felt exemplified since she was Andi’s friend-and since Andi turned thirteen, it was all Jonah Beck all the time. And they were barely even dating. They couldn’t even communicate and Buffy didn’t want that to happen with her and someone she cared about. 

Her phone beeped. 

_ Marty from the Party:  _ I’m here. 

She smiled and slid her phone back into her pocket. She opened her front door, stepped outside, and shut the door behind her. The cold air hit her face as she walked down the sidewalk to where she could see Marty’s car parked. 

Marty rolled down the window, smiling wide, and hollered to her. 

“Hey, Buffy!” 

“Hey!” she replied. 

“The car’s unlocked,” he said before rolling the windows back up. 

She nodded, and opened the passenger car door. 

It was barely after she buckled herself in that he asked the question. 

“When do you think you’ll get your license?” he asked. 

Buffy should’ve expected it.

Andi got her license a year ago. Cyrus was in drivers’ license now. He and TJ had decided to take the class together and go through the process with each other at their side to help with their respective fears. Jonah wasn’t interested in driving due to his anxiety. 

Yet, her eyes widened and she gulped. She didn’t have an answer for him. 

Marty looked away from her and set the radio to a low volume. “I-Most people say driving gives them a sense of freedom. I thought you’d be excited for that.”

Buffy tried to collect her thoughts. “Yeah I know. I just-I thought I’d feel different by the time I was supposed to get my license. More adult I think.” 

Marty laughed. “Yeah that doesn’t happen.” He paused. “At least not for me. Maybe it did for other people and I’ll never actually feel adult. That would  _ suck.  _ Like being 25 and still feeling like I’m 17. Confused and still trying to figure it out while I’m making these big decisions.” 

Buffy laughed. “ _ Exactly. _ ” 

There was a moment of calm silence as Marty started driving down the street. Buffy continued her thoughts. “Besides if I had a license, we wouldn’t do this anymore.” 

Marty rolled his eyes. “You could drive past my house and pick  _ me  _ up.” 

“It wouldn’t be the same. It would feel  _ weird. _ ” 

Marty smacked her gently on the shoulder. “I felt weird at first coming here. Based on the fact that ya know you didn’t recognize my car the first time and i had to literally come up to your door to announce that I was here. And then I had to awkwardly chat with your dad. Who i had never met.” 

“And you would recognize my car?” 

“I would be looking for you, and my street’s not a busy one. Cars don’t just randomly park in front of my house.” 

“I’d need your address.”

“I would give it to you.” 

Marty turned the dial on the radio up and Buffy turned her attention to the window. It was past sunset so the sky was dark and the streetlights were on. They shone a yellowish color and when Marty’s car picked up speed, the lights blurred together and bled into a solid stream of yellow. When a song came on that Buffy recognized, she hummed along with it. Otherwise, they let the car fall into silence with the notion that if something came up that they needed to talk about they would. 

“Are you excited to go off to college?” Buffy asked. 

They had to confront the topic eventually. 

Marty forced the left side of his face into a smile, letting the right side remain as it had been. 

“Yeah. I am. The school in North Dakota is great. And they have my major and have trans friendly housing. I’m going to miss you and the rest of the group though.” 

“We’ll miss you too.”

There was a pause before Buffy added. “Of course  _ I’ll  _ miss you too.” 

Marty smiled genuinely. “We won’t be able to do this when we’re hundreds of miles apart.” 

Buffy nodded. “Driving can get boring sometimes. Maybe it isn’t all bad.” 

Marty shook his head. “We won’t be able to sit together in silence. Comfortable silence doesn’t transfer as well on dead phone call air.” 

Buffy pondered it, and then realized he was right. 

“It could work on video calls.” 

Marty turned the corner and pulled into a parking lot. One of those public ones that don’t have spots designated only for certain businesses. He parked the car. 

“I could have a bad connection from up there.” 

“Ah. Yeah that would suck. That happens with my Mom sometimes and we could be trying three or four times for a clear picture and by the time that happens the time is no longer convenient and we both have other things to do.” 

Marty nods and unbuckles. He shifts onto his side and is able to look at Buffy without having to worry about the road ahead. Literally. They’re still talking about the  _ figurative  _ road ahead. 

Buffy surges forward and places a gentle kiss on his lips and then pulls away. “We can’t do that for the phone,” she laughs. 

It’s the first loud laugh from her all drive. Usually, he would’ve made a bad joke by now. Marty’s really falling behind compared to his typical standards. 

But tonight’s not a typical night. 

He kisses her back. 

It doesn’t last long. “Definitely can’t do that.” 

College was a year away. And for the first time it didn’t feel that far off. He looked at Buffy in the eyes and she looked down. 

“How long do you want to try long distance for?” 

“How long do I-” Marty shook his head, his expression incredulous, “ _ what kind of question is  _ that?” 

“A realistic one.” 

“You’re the one who had suggested long distance.” 

She nods. 

It’s a second in the pale lighting before Marty realizes she’s started crying. 

“We can make it work. Buffy,  _ listen.  _ We can make it work. We’re us. We’ve always been in sync. The amount of miles between us won’t  _ change  _ that.” 

Buffy cries harder. 

Marty can’t remember the last time he saw her cry. He can’t remember if there  _ was  _ a time that he’d seen her cry. 

“Buffy? Where is this coming from?” 

She takes a breath and steadies her voice. “When I didn’t like you when you liked me yet, you stopped talking to me. I saw you in the hallway and you-it was like you didn’t  _ see  _ me anymore.” 

“I was a jerk.” 

“Yeah,” Buffy chuckles. “But that isn’t the point. It’s basically a cliche that long distance relationships fail. And it isn’t because that isn’t the case. It’s because it  _ is. _ ” 

“I was a  _ jerk.  _ I-if it’s not working, I’m not going to stop talking to you. I’m going to talk  _ to  _ you.  _ We’re  _ going to still talk. And we’ll always be friends.” 

Buffy let out a breath. “Can- Can you reach your hands over and hug me?”

Marty nodded. “Of course.” 

They hugged under the pale lights of the parking lot. Marty wasn’t sure how long it lasted, only that it took a while for Buffy to pull away.

He didn’t mind. 

“Whatever happens,” He said as Buffy did pull away, “we can handle it. No matter what I want to make sure that we  _ both  _ cross the finish line.” 

Buffy nodded. She understood. 

“Can you turn up the radio?” 

Marty nodded, turning up the dial. 

Music filled the uncertain turning certain air between them. 

  
  


**Author's Note:**

> haven't written for this fandom in a long time. pls leave comments and kudos :)


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